2023 AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
There weren’t any eye-popping swims during the fourth and final heats session at the 2023 Australian Championships. The swims that did occur, however, set up what should be an exciting final session of racing.
In the men’s 100 freestyle, event favorite Kyle Chalmers started fairly strong with a 49.15 in the prelims, which is well off his entry time of 47.36. He has been strong this season in the short course pool and is now making the transition to his long course season, meaning that a big swim might be in store for him in the final. He isn’t up against any other men who came into the meet with a 47, but Flynn Southam will certainly put up a fight. His prelims time was a 48.72 and he’s been as quick as a 48.23 before. Southam has been on an upward trajectory of late and this race will serve as good practice for later in the year when he vies for a spot on the World Champs team. He was out-swum by Kai Taylor with a 48.65 and was faster than Jack Cartwright with a 49.41 as well.
Right after the men’s 100 free, the women took to the 200 freestyle. Mollie O’Callaghan put up another top prelims time here with a 1:57.85, getting in with a faster time than Ariarne Titmus. Titmus is the Australian record-holder and reigning Olympic champion in this event and hit a 1:53.09 PB back in 2021. O’Callaghan is a solid 200 freestyler as well, holding a best time of 1:54.01, and will be a good racing partner for Titmus in the final.
Other women in the top five for the 200 freestyle are Olympian Madi Wilson (1:58.50), Kaylee McKeown, who got 4th in the prelims with a 1:58.93 despite this being a slightly-off event for her, and Brianna Throssell (1:59.08). Lani Pallister, Shayna Jack, Jenna Forrester, and Meg Harris all crack 2 minutes as well and will race in the final.
Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 IM Brendon Smith swam his signature event on day four, posting a 4:23.99. That’s a pretty relaxed swim from Smith considering his lifetime best is 4:09.27. Smith will likely shave some time off a hit a new season-best tonight. Se-bom Lee was the #2 entrant here with a 4:14.77 and he was 6th overall in prelims with a 4:26.81. William Petric holds the top seed heading into finals at a 4:22.91, while Thomas Hauck (4:24.22), Joshua Staples (4:24.98), and Elliot Rogerson (4:25.19) form a trio from 3rd-5th.
We will also see the final stroke 50 during day four finals as Samuel Williamson leads the way into the men’s 50 breaststroke with his 27.61. He’s been as quick as a 26.97 and was seeded first from the outset, but Joshua Yong (28.20), Joshua Collett (28.31), Grayson Bell (28.31), and others are right on his tail. Two other events from prelims were the women’s 200 backstroke (where world record holder Kaylee McKeown was absent) and the men’s 200 butterfly, featuring top seeds from Hannah Fredericks (2:13.37) and Matthew Temple (2:00.69), respectively. Emma McKeon was slated to race the 100 buttefly but dropped out, leaving Alexandria Perkins in the top spot (58.55).
